Competitiveness and Export of Small and Medium Enterprises in Iran

exports and the competitiveness of small and medium industries in Iran in order to develop exports. Competitiveness for small and medium-sized enterprises is an important and central issue that serves as a tool to achieve optimal economic growth and sustainable development. This study analyzes the factors affecting the export and competitiveness of these industries and the ranking of their competitiveness in the period 2002-18, using the data of industrial enterprises by three-digit ISIC codes 10 to 149 employees. In this study, four indicators of relative price, unit wage of labor force, the ratio of capital formation to changes in sales and value added of employees of industrial enterprises have been considered as factors affecting changes in competitiveness. In this study, data panel econometric method is used, which shows that the export elasticity of small and medium enterprises to production, labor wage and value added per unit of labor are equal to 0.48, -0.55 and 0.67, respectively. The industries of Processing and preserving of fish, crustaceans and molluscs have the highest export competitiveness and the Manufacture of medical and dental instruments and supplies have the lowest one.